The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
In an arc welding apparatus, such as Metal Inert Gas (MIG) or Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) welding gun, a welding wire is fed through the welding gun to provide a molten metal pool to join metal workpieces together. An inert gas is directed through the front (distal) end of the welding gun to provide a surrounding layer or blanket of shield gas to protect the molten metal pool from atmospheric contamination. The inert gas is typically a combination of various gases such as argon or helium, among others.
A prior art MIG or GMAW welding gun typically includes a contact tip and a gas diffuser connected to the contact tip. The contact tip has a central bore to guide the welding wire to the workpieces. The contact tip transfers electrical current to the welding wire. The gas diffuser is typically threaded to the contact tip and defines gas passageways that direct the shield gas into a blanket of shield gas around the molten metal pool. The contact tip and gas diffuser are constantly subjected to high heat and are susceptible to wear due to high temperature operation.